irrigationn.
/ɪrɪˈɡeɪʃən/ The action or process of irrigating.
1. The action of supplying or fact of being supplied with moisture; a moistening or wetting. (Now rare in gen. sense, and regarded as transferred from 2a.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > condition of being or making wet > [noun] > action or process
wettinga1340
moistinga1398
wateringa1398
humectation1544
moistening1559
madefaction1583
irrigationa1618
aquation1623
a1618 J. Sylvester Tobacco Battered 503 It dries the Body, robs of irrigation The thirsty parts.
1651 J. French Art Distillation i. 11 Humectation or Irrigation, is a sprinkling of moisture upon any thing.
a1693 J. Aubrey Brief Lives: Bacon (1898) I. 84 His lordship would, when it rayned, take his coach (open) to receive the benefit of irrigation.
1809 European Mag. 55 20 The streets and lanes..were in a complete state of irrigation.
2. spec.
a. The action of supplying land with water by means of channels or streams; the distribution of water over the surface of the ground, in order to promote the growth and productiveness of plants. Also, the part which is irrigated.
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the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > preparation of land or soil > irrigation > [noun]
field pondage1612
pondage1612
irrigation1626
floating-trench1649
masterwork1652
floating1669
catchwork1794
warping1799
watering1799
basin irrigation1903
sprinkler irrigation1908
sprinkling irrigation1910
spray irrigation1931
spray line1961
trickle irrigation1969
chemigation1981
1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §600 The Sixth Helpe of Ground is by Watering and Irrigation.
1664 J. Evelyn Sylva Advt. I did not altogether compile this Work for the sake of our Ordinary Rustics, but for the more Ingenious... That this may yet be no prejudice to the meaner capacities let them read for..irrigation, watering.
1808 C. Vancouver Gen. View Agric. Devon i. 18 This valley..is supplied by a constant stream for the purposes of irrigation.
1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic 232 A machine designed to raise water to a great height for the irrigation of land.
1863 A. P. Stanley Lect. Jewish Church I. iv. 84 Peasants..drawing up the buckets of water from the level of the river for the irrigation of the fields above.
1928 D. Cottrell Singing Gold i. i. 11 You could look away over the irrigation to the sandhill.
b. Medicine. The application of a constant stream or shower of some liquid to a part of the body, e.g. to allay inflammation, or to cleanse and disinfect an ulcer, etc. (In quot. 1632 concrete. A liquid for this purpose; an embrocation, lotion.)
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the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > treatments using water > [noun] > treatment by bathing, sprinkling, or fomenting
fomenta1398
fomentationa1400
embrocation1543
irrigation1617
pump-bathing1744
dry pumping1840
nebulization1968
perifusion1969
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines of specific form > lotion or bath > [noun]
lotion?a1425
lavatoryc1475
washing?1541
bath1542
lolion1549
lavament1598
lavature1601
irrigation1617
wash1626
1617 J. Woodall Surgions Mate Termes 345 Irrigation..is an aspersion of humidity vpon things that are to be dissolued, that so they may the more easily deliquate.
1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy ii. v. i. v. 475 Irrigations of the head, with water lillies, lettice, violets, camomile, &c.
1632 tr. G. Bruele Praxis Medicinæ 39 Make an irrhigation for the head with sweete waters.
1842 E. S. Abdy tr. R. von Falkenstein Water Cure (1843) 68 Cold half baths, and irrigation afterwards.
1887 New Sydenham Soc. Lexicon Irrigation,..the continuous application of a stream of simple or antiseptic fluid to a part so as to keep it wet with a constant change of the moisture.
3. figurative. Cf. irrigate v. 3.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > refreshment or invigoration > [noun]
heartingOE
coolingc1350
refreshinga1382
recreationa1393
easement?a1400
rehetinga1400
freshing1422
refrigery?a1425
refectionc1450
refreshmenta1470
refrigeration1502
corroborating1530
recreating1538
comfortation1543
repast1546
rousing?a1563
refocillation1570
refresh1592
inanimationa1631
recruita1643
irrigationa1660
quicking1661
invigoration1662
reinvigoration1663
recuperation1703
rally1826
recruiting1840
energizing1841
recreance1842
inspiriting1846
animation1855
recruitment1862
inspiritment1886
pepping up1916
a1660 H. Hammond Serm. (1675) ii. 32 That..every of us fructifie in some proportion answerable to our irrigation.
1884 J. Hall Christian Home 69 Such spiritual irrigation we must use in the home for the good of one another.
Compounds
C1. General attributive.
irrigation canal n.
ΚΠ
1910 Encycl. Brit. XIV. 841/2 When a river partakes of the nature of a torrent,..it is impossible to construct a system of irrigation canals without very costly engineering works.
1923 R. Fry Let. 21 May (1972) II. 536 A vast flat plain perfectly green with corn,..and all run by irrigation canals from the Ebro.
irrigation channel n.
ΚΠ
1880 C. R. Markham Peruvian Bark 479 In June the people were occupied with the irrigation channels.
irrigation ditch n.
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1870 Gov. Hunt Own Story (MS.) 1 Irrigation ditches were dug for as much of the land as could be covered with water.
1902 O. Wister Virginian vi. 77 One of the irrigation ditches ran under the fence from the hay-field to supply the house with water.
1958 Amer. Speech 33 106 When the Rocky Mountain Project is completed, it will show where..water ditches are called irrigation ditches, government canals, or acequias (‘sequies’).
1974 J. Thomson Long Revenge vi. 67 The only possible cover was that provided by the tall reeds that grew in the deeper irrigation ditches.
irrigation tank n.
ΚΠ
1877 Daily News 5 Oct. 4/4 Having erected new irrigation tanks in India.
irrigation weir n.
ΚΠ
1883 F. Day Indian Fish 50 To watch these enormous reptiles feeding in the river below the irrigation weir which impedes the upward ascent of breeding fish.
irrigation works n.
ΚΠ
1858 J. B. Norton Topics for Indian Statesmen 184 The whole revenue being immediately dependent on the irrigation works.
C2.
irrigation-wheel n. a wheel by means of which land is irrigated.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > farming > tools and implements > [noun] > irrigation devices
acequia madre1835
trunk1856
irrigation-wheel1864
lawn-sprinklera1884
levada1885
knapsack sprayer1897
lawn-sprayer1943
society > occupation and work > equipment > lifting or hoisting equipment > [noun] > for raising water > wheel for raising water
waterwheel1591
Persian wheel1649
sakia1687
noria1696
Egyptian wheel1793
bucket-wheel1797
tabut1836
pot-wheel1852
tympan1858
irrigation-wheel1864
spider-wheel1868
tympanum1875
1864 J. A. Grant Walk across Afr. 410 Mr. Aipperly had..made friends with the natives by assisting to put up their irrigation-wheels.
Derivatives
irriˈgational adj. belonging to irrigation.
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the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > preparation of land or soil > irrigation > [adjective]
watered1531
irrigated1830
irrigable1844
irrigative1861
irrigatorial1867
irrigational1877
irrigatory1884
sprinklered1942
1877 Athenæum 1 Dec. 695/3 Public works..both roads and irrigational.
1894 Naturalist 58 A product of the sewage farm irrigational proceedings.
irriˈgationist n. a person interested in irrigation.
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the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > preparation of land or soil > irrigation > [noun] > irrigationist
irrigationist1887
1887 Detroit Free Press 21 May 2/4 Of interest to irrigationists.
1894 Voice (N.Y.) 18 Oct. 3/4 The Denver congress of irrigationists.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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